Automobile garment support



Nov. 8, 1949 c. 'r. COLLINS AUTOMOBILE GARMENT SUPPORT Filed Sept. 2, 1947 Fig. 4,

IN VEN TOR.

BY ZZ g Patented Nov. 8, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AUTOMOBILE GARMENT SUPPORT.

Chester T.'Collins, Bellevue, Nebr.

Application September 2, 1947, Serial No. 771,590

2 Claims. (Cl. 2Z429) The presentinvention relates to automobile accessories and'has for an object to provide a device which may be readily disposed withinand attached to the-body of an automobile in a mannerwhereby garments,; clothing and the like may be suspended therefrom during-road. traveling movements of the vehicle.

Another object of the invention is to. provide a garment support as described, theheight of which is adjustable for attachment to. different types and models of cars.

Another object of the: invention resides in the provision of a particular and advantageous means for regulating the height of a standard employed.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of a garment supporting devicewhich may be attached to an automobile in a manner whereby the interior of the latter is not marred orv altered.

Still another object of the invention resides in the provision of a rigid bracing means particularl adapted foruse withadeviceas described.

Still further objects ofthe invention reside in the provision of a garment support the various parts of which may be dismantled for convenient storage and the two parts of a standard employedrmay be telescopically overlapped for storage.

Yet another object of the. invention resides in the provision of a base or foot for use with thegarment support for reducing the tendency of an automobile floor to become worn from the downward thrust of a standard employed.

Other and still further obieets and advantages of theinvention will become apparent iromthe following detailed description of a preferred embcdiment hereof In the drawin s:

Figure l is a side elevation of the. garment sup- Figure 4 is, a. view of a verticallydisposed terminal end portion of a. hanger bar of the. garment. support.

The garment support of this invention; is, for usein an automobile, the latter being generally 2 indicated at Ill. The automobile ispreferably of the type havinga space l2 existing between adoor [4 thereof and the upper side N5 of the door jamb, for a-purpose later described. Modifications of the device will fit on any auto, however.

The automobile It) also includes a roof .20, a rain gutter 22,. a rearfloor 24, a .rear seat 26, a rear seat support 28 and has a special construction for sealing the junction between the door 14 and the floor 24'.

The said construction forms no part of this invention but usually includes avertically extending rib 30 on the outer edge of the floor 24, a horizontally extending ledge 32 along the outer side of the floor 24 and forming the bottom side of the door jamb, a notch 34 in the bottom of the door l4 for receiving the ledge 32, and a gasket 36 for sealing the junction between the ledge 32 and the notch 34.

The garment support of the invention includes a standard generally indicated at 40 having an upper portion 42 and a lower portion 44, the latter being preferably of tubular shape and being disposed one partially within the other. The outermost section of the standard 40 is provided with a longitudinally disposed slot 46 extending thereinto from that end of the section 44 which is adjacent the junction between the sections 42 and 44.-

A band 50 is'provided having a generally circular main body portion of a diameter for encircling the upper end of the lower standard section 44-; The ends of the band- 50 extend in. parallelism with each other at substantially a right angle with respect to the adjacent portions of the -circular main body portion of the band 50. The said endsthereby formtabs 52 and 54' and the latter are provided with suitable aligned apertures for receiving a bolt or threaded screw 56.

Thescrew 56--is provided with a notch 58 in the head thereo'i for receiving the bit of a screwdriver. The opposite end. of the screw 56 is pro vided. with a wing nut 60; threadedly securedthereto.

The standard 40 is adapted. to be disposed up right within-- the body-of the automobile andplaced into a position spaced apart from a selected door-'jambthereof. A foot 10 is preferably disposed on the lower end of the standard 4d and issec-ured thereto in any suitable manner. The foot Ill is for supporting the standard 4!) and for engaging the floor 24 on? the automobile;

The foot i0 is provided with anoutwardly fianged base portion 1 a larger area in her? zontal cross-section than adjacent portions of the lower section 44 of the standard 40. This is to reduce the tendency of the floor 24 to become worn from the downward thrust of the standard 4|] under the weight of garments.

Preferably the foot is constructed of rubber or other suitable material for reducing wear on the floor 24. This is especially desirable since floors are usually covered with carpeting which is more susceptible to wear from friction than are harder surfaceS.-

At the upper end of the standard 40 a hanger bar 80 is secured thereto and the latter is preferably of tubular shape along its main body portion. The hanger-bar 80 extends from the standard 40 toward the upper side It of the door jamb of the automobile l0.

At its inner end the hanger-bar 80 is provided with a flat portion 84 having apertures therethrough for the reception of suitable screws or bolts 86. The latter extend through other suitable apertures in the upper standard section 42 and are preferably provided with wing nuts 88 so'that the hanger-bar 80 may be easily disengaged from the upper section 42 of the standard 40.

The other end of the hanger-bar 80 is provided with a second flattened portion 92, the latter be ing disposed in a horizontal plane. The vertical thickness of the portion 92 is lesser than the vertical width of the space l6 so that the portion 92 is adapted to be disposed in the space M even at times when the door I4 is closed.

The door-jamb I 6 is further provided with a vertically disposed surface 94 along its upper side, the latter being disposed outwardly of the flat horizontal surface l6 and being disposed at a right angle and adjoined thereto. The extreme outer terminal end of the hanger bar 80 is vertically disposed as shown at 96 and the latter is so that the vertically disposed terminal end portion 96 is adapted to be disposed opposite the vertically disposed surface 94.

The terminal end portion 96 is provided with a horizontal aperture for the reception of a suitable metal screw I00, and the latter is preferably provided with a flat head, either flush or countersunk into the outer surface of the terminal end 96. The inwardly disposed end of the screw I0!) is threadedly disposed in the door jamb, extending through the vertically disposed surface 94.

Means are provided for maintaining the standard 4o upright during use, and such means preferably include a brace-bar H0. The latter is provided with a preferably tubular or rounded main body portion I Ill. The inward end of the brace-bar I I0 is provided with a downwardly extending flat vertical portion H6. the latter being for the purpose of engaging the side of the upper standard section 42.

The inward fiat portion H6 is provided with two spaced apart apertures for the reception of the bolts 86 and the portion H6 is disposed between the nuts 88 and the upper standard section 42, The flattened inward portion MB of the brace-rod Ill! is disposed in a plane preferably transversely disposed with respect to the automobile Hl. The tubular center portion H2 is. however, inclinedly disposed outwardly and forwardly at its outer end.

The outer end of the brace-bar H0 is provided ivith a second flat portion I2!) and the latter is preferably of a vertical thickness for reception between the door 14 and the lower surface 16 of the upper side of the door-lamb.

The extreme outer terminal end of the bracebar H0 is provided with an upturned vertically disposed portion I I9 having an aperture I21. The portion I I9 is disposed in a longitudinal plane with respect to the automobile It and is adapted to be positioned opposite the vertical surface 94 and is secured thereto by means of a suitable counter sunk or flush, flat-headed screw I22, similar in all respects to the screw I130.

The terminal end l2l of the brace-bar H0 is disposed forwardly of the car Ill during use and with respect to the terminal end 96 of the hangerbar so that the standard 40 will be rigidly braced thereby.

In operation, the device may be brought from storage and assembled, the foot it being placed upon the lower standard section 44. The hanger bar 80 and the brace-bar l m are then attached by means of the bolts 86 to the upper standard section 42. The device may then be placed in the interior of an automobile opposite a door-jamb and the height of the standard 46} is then adjusted by releasing the wing nut 60 to permit the band 50 to relax so that the longitudinal walls of the slot 46 spread apart and the sections 42 and'44 are slideable with respect to each other.

When the flat and outer portions of the hanger bar 80 and brace-bar Ill], respectively, are disposed against the lower surface [6 of the upper side of the door-lamb, and the vertically disposed portions 96 and H9 are disposed opposite the vertically disposed surface 94, the wing nut 60 may be tightened for clamping the standard sections 42 and 44 into position, the longitudinal walls of the slot 46 being drawn toward each other.

The screws I00 and 122 may then be disposed through the suitable apertures in the vertically disposed sections 96 and l l 9 of the hanger-bar 80 and of the brace-bar H0 respectively, and are threadedly securedto the door-jamb.

As thus described, garments may be hung upon the hanger-bar 8B and, if desired, garment bags such as that shown in Figure 2 at I30 may be employed, the latter commonly having a wire hook I32 in the upper end thereof.

When it is desired to remove the device, the screws I00 and I 2| may be easily removed, the

hanger-bar 80 and the brace-bar Hi! disconnected from the upper standard section 42, and the standard sections 40 and 42 disposed almost completely one inside the other. In this manner the device may be easily stored in a small space.

This invention has provided a garment support for use in automobiles, the height of which is adjustable for different cars, which is particularly constructed so that the interior of a vehicle will not need to be altered to facilitate its temporary use, and which is provided with a foot for preventing wear on the floor of an automobile during use.

From the foregoing description, it is thought to be obvious that an automobile garment support constructed in accordance with my invention is particularly well adapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled and operated, and it will also be obvious that my invention is susceptible of somev change and modification without departing from the principles and spirit thereof and for this reason, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise arrangement and formation of the several parts herein shown in carrying out my invention in practice, except as claimed.

I claim:

1. A garment support for use in an-automobile having a space between a door thereof, when the latter is closed, and the upper side of the corresponding door-jamb, said door-jamb also having a vertically disposed surface, along the upperside, comprising; a standard disposed upright within the body of said automobile during use and spaced from said door-jamb; a foot disposed on and supporting the lower end of said standard for engaging the fioor of said automobile, said foot being of a larger area in horizontal cross-section at its base than adjacent portions of said standard for reducing the tendency of said floor to become worn from the downward thrust of said standard during use, and said foot being con-- structed of resilient material; a hanger-bar secured at one of its ends to the upper end of said standard and extending toward said door-frame, the other end portion of said hanger-bar extend ing into said space, and said other end portion having an upwardly extending terminal end disposed opposite said vertically disposed surface; a screw disposed through said terminal end and through said vertically disposed surface; a bracebar secured at one end of its ends to the upper end of said standard, said other end portion of said brace-bar extending into said space at a point spaced from said other end portion of said hanger-bar, and said brace-bar having a second upwardly extending terminal end disposed against said vertically disposed surface; and a second screw disposed through said second terminal end and through said vertically disposed surface.

2. A device as described in claim 1 in which said standard is composed of two telescopic sections disposed one partially within the other, the outermost of said sections being provided with a longitudinally disposed slot extending thereinto from that end thereof which is adjacent the junction of said telescopic sections; a band disposed around the outermost of said sections; and across said slot, said band having spaced apart ends; and means for drawing said ends together.

CHESTER T. COLLINS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

